Posted by Mary Wimberley on 2009-09-28

Samford University will host an Operating Expense Reduction Summit Oct. 8 and 9 for college administrators who want to maximize the financial efficiency of their schools.

Participants will exchange existing best-practices and discuss ways to develop new ideas to reduce operating expenses.

Administrators from a variety of public and private schools in 10 states have pre-registered for the conference.

“The program will identify innovative ways to reduce operating expense without compromising the quality of students’ educational experiences,” said Samford provost Dr. J. Brad Creed, an organizer of the summit.

The summit will be conducted by The Coyne Partnership, a consulting firm that recently helped Samford identify and prioritize several million dollars in potential near-term cost savings.

Firm members Kevin P. Coyne and Shawn T. Coyne will present a plenary session on their innovative ideation technique, Brainsteering, which was recently featured in Harvard Business Review. The firm also includes Edward J. Coyne, a former senior Fortune 500 executive and recently retired Samford professor.

H. King McGlaughon, senior vice president and managing executive of Wachovia Non-Profit and Philanthropic Services, will present the keynote speech on Thursday, Oct. 8. He will discuss the current U.S. economic situation and its effects on the near-term operating budgets of colleges and universities.

Each day, breakout sessions will allow participants to exchange their best ideas related to the topic.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.